by Kara Lennox
“What? No, Elena, you can’t do that. Then we’ll both get in trouble.”
“I don’t think so. I don’t think Daniel will want to file charges against me. He’ll be angry, for sure, but I’m too valuable to him as an assistant.” She hoped. The job didn’t require any particular education, just a knack for organization and anticipating Daniel’s needs. She could be replaced. “And if he doesn’t file a complaint with the police about me, he can’t very well make charges stick against you.”
“Why would you even want to do such a thing?”
“Because I know you aren’t a bad person. And because kidnapping can result in a long prison term, and you don’t deserve that simply because you want to help your brother. What you did was wrong, but I think you know that. You shouldn’t suffer the rest of your life for one error in judgment.”
“And I won’t let you take the heat for something you didn’t do. It’s preposterous.”
“Let me just call Daniel, okay? He’s probably pretty upset, but I’ll calm him down.”
“My phone’s in the glove box. Knock yourself out.”
She opened the glove compartment. His phone sat on top of a stack of papers—vehicle registration, a maintenance folder and a thick stack of receipts bound with a rubber band. She powered it up. The moment she did, someone would figure out their location. She only had a short time to get this done. She dialed Daniel’s private number as soon as she was able.
He answered before it even rang. “Logan,” he barked.
“Daniel, it’s me. Everything’s fine. I’m fine.”
“Elena. Thank God. I’ve got a team triangulating your location right now,” he said urgently. “You have to keep this phone on as long as—”
“No, Daniel, no! Please don’t do that. Travis is taking me home right now. He’s had a change of heart. He acted impulsively because he loves his brother and his niece. Please, if you haven’t involved the police, don’t do it. I’m fine, and there’s no way Travis would hurt me.”
“How do I know he’s not pressuring you to say that? How do I know he doesn’t have a gun to your head?”
“He doesn’t! Travis doesn’t even own a gun.” She looked at him questioningly. “Do you?”
He shook his head.
“Then give me the correct code word.”
“Oh. Of course!” Anyone who worked for Daniel knew the code words, which changed periodically. One was to communicate you were in real trouble. The other was to reassure that you were not in danger. “Macadamia.”
Daniel breathed an audible sigh of relief. “Thank God. Where are you? If you’re in a safe neighborhood, have Riggs let you out. Anywhere—a restaurant, a fire station—”
“That’s not necessary. He’s taking me home now. You don’t have to worry.”
“Let me talk to him.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Daniel, I want you to promise me something. Don’t have Travis arrested. If you haven’t involved law enforcement, don’t. Please.”
“Are you crazy? He kidnapped you!”
“It’s not like he tried to extort money from you,” she reasoned. “He just wanted you to help his brother. His heart’s in the right place. Really, it is.”
“I don’t care. You can’t just go around kidnapping people because you want someone to do something.”
“I know that.... He knows that. I don’t care. Promise me you won’t have him arrested. Give me your word. If you don’t, I can’t come back.”
“What, are the two of you going to make a break for Mexico?”
“Please be serious. I’m asking you as a personal favor. Sending Travis to jail isn’t the right thing to do.”
After a long pause, he finally replied. “All right. I give you my word.” It sounded as if he said it with his jaw firmly clamped. “For now. But once you’re home safe, if you can’t convince me that guy shouldn’t be underground the rest of his life, all bets are off.”
“Thank you, Daniel. I will make it up to you.” She hung up and powered down the phone—just in case. She trusted Daniel, but if he’d already sicced a team on them, it might take time to contact the team and turn things off.
“Just like that? All is forgiven?”
“I don’t know that I’d go that far. But he said he wouldn’t have you arrested on the spot, anyway. I’ll have to convince him to make that permanent, but I think I can. He does listen to reason.”
“I don’t know what to say. No one’s ever done something this huge for me. And I have no idea why you’re doing it.”
“I’m not a hundred percent sure, either, to tell you the truth. I mean, you did throw me into the back of a pickup truck. Twice.”
He winced. “I’m sorry.”
“I’ll have a great story to tell my children someday.” Assuming she ever had children. Her mother was beginning to despair that Elena would ever get married. Of course, Elena’s mama had married when she was fourteen. Things were a little different back in Cuba.
True to his word, Travis drove her straight toward Daniel’s home. Elena found her tension mounting with every mile they drew closer. In some strange deranged way, she didn’t want this episode to end. She would probably never see Travis again.
“I’m going to see what I can do for Eric,” she said when they turned down Daniel’s street. “The offer still stands—I’ll help you with the application.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I want to.”
“But the adoption—”
“I know, but adoptions can be delayed. Applications can be expedited. Don’t give up hope. Not yet.”
For the first time since she’d met Travis, she saw something that resembled hope in his eyes. “Really? You’d really do that?”
“If Eric is innocent, he shouldn’t be in prison, and he shouldn’t be separated from his daughter. Anyone can see the injustice in that.”
“All right, then.” He reached into the console and pulled out a business card for her. “My contact information is on there.”
“I’ll call you and let you know what I find out.”
Five minutes later, Travis pulled up to those preposterous front gates. All appeared quiet. Too quiet.
The gate started to open. Someone was watching. “I’ll get out here.” She fumbled in her haste to unfasten the seat belt. This wasn’t how she wanted to say goodbye to him, rushed and frantic. But she had a bad feeling about this. “Soon as I’m out, hit the gas,” she said. “Don’t look back.”
She got out, slammed the door. She banged on the door with her hand. “Go!”
Before she could even get the single word out, a man leaped from behind a bush and grabbed her, dragging her away from the truck.
“Hey, what the hell—let me go!”
“I’m with the police,” the man said. “You’re safe now.”
“If I’m safe, then why do you have me in a headlock?” But she was more concerned about what was happening to the truck—it was being swarmed by men and women in riot gear. Someone broke the driver’s side window, and then Travis was being dragged out of the truck.
“On the ground! On the ground!” the cop shrieked in an adrenaline-fed, frenzied voice.
“No!” Elena shrieked. “What are you doing?”
“We got him!”
It was all over so quickly, Elena barely had time to blink. They had Travis in cuffs and back on his feet. His face was bleeding; he’d probably hit his head and reopened the cut on his forehead.
Travis shot her a venomous look. “Thanks a heap. You couldn’t just let me turn myself in?”
“Shut up!” the cop bellowed. Then they were stuffing Travis into a Houston Police SUV and the SWAT guys were giving each other high fives.
“Get your hands off of me!�
� she yelled at the cop who still had her tightly in his grip. “I’m not under arrest, you moron.” Maybe it wasn’t smart to throw insults at a cop, but she was furious—beyond furious. This was not supposed to happen. And she knew exactly who to blame. Daniel had had plenty of time to call off the cops. He’d given her his word. How could he have done this?
Daniel himself appeared at the gate, looking harried and badly groomed, as if he’d slept in his clothes. She allowed herself half a second to be flattered that the thought of her being in danger had affected him so badly. Then the fury returned.
“Elena. Dear God, are you all right? Everyone’s been so worried about you.” He came toward her as if he might hug her. Daniel was not a hugger.
She gave him a cold stare, and he skidded to a stop. “Elena? Are you okay?”
“No, I am not okay. Daniel, you promised me no police.”
He gave her a puzzled look.
“Never mind. I need a bath and some clean clothes.”
“You must be starving. Let me have Cora—”
“No, I’m not hungry, actually. Travis kept me quite well fed.” Maybe that was an exaggeration—one pancake and instant coffee was a far cry from the fresh berries, omelets and fancy pastries that were always on Daniel’s breakfast table. But she wasn’t about to admit that.
“All right. Do you... I mean, before you get cleaned up... I’m not quite sure how to ask this, so I’ll just come out with it. Should you visit the hospital first?”
“Hospital? What on earth for?”
“He didn’t, um...”
“Oh, Dios mío, no! He treated me gentle as a kitten.” Was that what they all thought? That while he was trying to get attention for his brother’s case, he was raping her?
If she didn’t get away from Daniel in the next ten seconds, she was going to say something she regretted. “May I go, now? Sir?”
He looked even more puzzled by her behavior. “Yes, of course.”
She stalked past him, down the long driveway, tripping several times on the awkward, heel-less shoes. But she couldn’t take even the short time it would require to remove the shoes. She was about to lose it.
As soon as she was inside, a host of people greeted her—mostly household staff, a few Project Justice people. Jillian Baxter-Blake, who had been Daniel’s assistant before Elena, ran up and hugged her.
“Oh, my God, we were so worried!”
“I’m fine. I’m fine,” she said on a sob. “Just... I need some time alone.” She ran out of the foyer and down the hall to the staircase. Someone called after her, but she ignored them.
* * *
DANIEL HAD CHOSEN to meet with her in the dining room. Hardly anyone ate in the formal dining room unless it was an important occasion, so at least Daniel attached some importance to their meeting.
She’d bathed, washed and dried her hair, put on makeup and dressed carefully in a long, gauzy skirt, a silk T-shirt and ballet flats—something that screamed she was not on the clock, because she wasn’t.
Despite the fact that she’d said she wasn’t hungry, a tray of tasty-looking snacks awaited her on the table. Her mouth watered just looking at the gourmet cheeses, fruits and pastries arranged artfully on the silver tray. She was tempted to ignore the food, but realized she was being petty, so she ate a few apple slices and three cubes of cheddar cheese. She felt better almost immediately—calmer, more centered.
“The police want to speak to you,” Daniel said. “I told them you needed some time, but I can’t put them off too long.”
“Oh, screw the police,” she muttered.
“Elena!”
“Even if they were simply doing their duty, they did it with a bit too much zeal if you ask me. The cop who pulled me away from the car was far more violent toward me than Travis ever thought about being.”
“Elena, I’m confused. Were you kidnapped or not?”
“Yes. But he only did it because—”
“His reasons are immaterial! He kidnapped you! It’s not like he parked illegally or...or used his office photocopier for personal tasks.”
“I know it looks bad—”
“He’s a felon, did you know that? Spent eighteen months in the county jail for assault.”
“Yes, I know. He told me. But I would bet he hasn’t so much as stolen a paper clip since he got out.”
“And you believe him.”
“Yes, I do. We spent many hours together with nothing to do but talk, and he told me a lot of things. Mostly he talked about Eric. He loves his brother, and he has good reasons for believing Eric is innocent.”
“That is a separate issue. Lots of people have loved ones in prison who are innocent, and they don’t go around kidnapping people to resolve the issue.”
“Yes, yes, I know. They go through proper channels. But Travis has a learning disability. Severe dyslexia or something like that—”
“And you believed that, too?”
Obviously Daniel thought she was the worst sort of gullible sap. She persevered with her argument. “That’s why he struggled with the application. But that’s not really the issue here, is it? The issue is you made a promise to me. You gave me your word you wouldn’t have Travis arrested.”
“It’s not like I can order the police around—”
“I’m not stupid. You had to have told them where they could find Travis after I called you. After I told you he was bringing me back. Or do SWAT teams just hang out in your bushes on the off chance—”
“All right, yes, I told them about your phone call. But, Elena, I had to appear to agree with your terms because Travis might have been listening. If I’d refused you, he might not have brought you home. Surely you can see my reasoning.”
“So you weren’t really agreeing with me. You just pretended to agree as a means to an end.”
“To save your life? That’s not an acceptable reason?”
“My life was not in danger. You knew that! I gave you the safe code word, didn’t I?”
“Well...I was worried.”
“Do you think I would give you the safe code word if I was in danger?”
“Maybe you didn’t realize the danger you were in.”
She sighed. “So you don’t trust my judgment.”
“I always have before. But this incident was unprecedented.”
“Face it, Daniel. You sicced the SWAT team on Travis because you felt personally violated by what he did. And you got your revenge. You also broke your promise to me.”
He had no comeback. She’d nailed it.
“I will talk to the police,” she continued. “But I won’t press charges against Travis.”
“So you actually want to see him walk? What kind of hold does he have on you?”
“Nothing. Except I judge him to be a good man who is trying to save his brother, and to keep his niece from being adopted by unscrupulous people. Sending Travis to jail would only compound the wrong that has been done to his brother. If you can’t trust my judgment on this matter...” She wasn’t even sure how to finish that sentence. Their professional relationship had been based on absolute trust. Could it ever be the same?
Daniel’s mouth firmed as he looked out the window. He absently spread a cracker with brie cheese and a dab of pomegranate jelly, a treat he loved. “I guess we’re done here.”
“Are you firing me?”
Daniel looked slightly alarmed by her question. “No, of course not. But I think we both need to take a step back and...reflect.”
She’d been ready to resign. It was a matter of principle. But Daniel was probably right about taking a step back. She needed some time to process all that had happened.
Something inside her had changed. She wasn’t sure what, or why, but she felt that going back to work for Daniel as if n
othing had happened would be impossible.
“I could use some time off,” she said.
“Elena, of course. Take as long as you need.”
“I think I’ll go stay with my parents for a while.” She needed to remove herself from the estate and everything associated with it, to get her head straight and her feet back on the ground. Her day spent with Travis had reminded her that there was a big world out there, filled with people who didn’t have unlimited resources to deal with their problems.
She would be welcomed by her parents. Her mother had preserved her bedroom as a shrine to Elena’s youth, on the off chance she would return home. Her parents were good people, well-meaning, but they smothered her with their overprotectiveness. She wouldn’t stay there long, she reasoned. Just until she figured some things out.
“I’ll have a car brought around to take you—”
“No, don’t do that. I’m going to call a friend.”
“If that’s what you want.”
She stood up. “Where do I need to go to talk to the police?”
“Central Division.”
“Daniel, I know you have the power to have the charges dropped against Travis. You’re married to the district attorney. Couldn’t you...just...”
“No, I couldn’t. You know I don’t try to influence Jamie’s office for personal reasons.”
Oh, please. That was a total lie. Everyone knew he had the D.A.’s ear. If he told her a case needed to be reopened, she listened to him. But, to be fair, he usually only did that when he was reasonably sure the alleged perpetrator was not guilty.
It had been worth a shot. She turned and headed for the door.
“Elena, for what it’s worth, I don’t blame you at all. You were the victim, and whatever happened while he had you tied up in some empty house—”
She turned. “He never tied me up! He cooked me lasagna! And pancakes!”
Daniel looked at her as if she were deranged. Oh, God, maybe she was.
“I have to go.” She needed to get this interview with the police over with. And then she needed to find Travis a lawyer—a good lawyer, not some public defender just out of law school. On her way upstairs to grab her purse, she scrolled through the contacts on her phone. It was Saturday. Who might be free? Finally she settled on someone and dialed.